Railroad track construction



Oct. 6, 1936. 4 R. CAIRNCROSS 6,

RAILROAD TRACK CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 11, 1935 Patented @ct. 6 1936warren srrss ear lo aosaesr aarnnoan TRACK cons'rnnc'rron Robert 1L.(Cairncross, Chicago, lllll. Application. January it, was, Serial No.1,333 9 (Claims. (cl. 238-249) This invention relates to improvements inrailroad track construction and it consists of the matters hereinafterdescribed and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is more particularly concerned with means operating inconnection with a tie plate for holding the rail in operative positionagainst certain movements detrimental to track up-keep and maintenance.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and emcientconstruction which reduces to a minimum, rail creepage caused bycombined wave motion and traflic movement in either direction, as wellas'longitudinal expanof those parts of the ties upon which the tieplates engage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of thiskind including a. tie plate wherein the holes for the spikes (either cutor screw) are staggered so as to reduce the liability of splitting theties.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a construction ofthis kind which is practical and is of minimum initial cost comparingfavorably and competitively with that of struc-= tures at present usedfor somewhat similar purposes.

The above mentioned objects of the invention as well as others, willmore fully appear as it proceed with my specificatlon.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view through arail adjacent a tie end and illustrates the tie plate and associatedparts in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. '1. I

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view through a part of theconstruction shown in Fig. 2 as taken on the line 3-3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a certain rail retaining member orspring forming a part of the improved construction and which will bedescribed in greater detail later on.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustratedin the accompanying drawing- 5 indicates a, railroad cross tie; 6indicates a tie plate thereon and l indicates a rail having a baseflange 8. This flange is adapted to seat upon the top surface of the tieplate between a pair of spaced inner and outer end shoulders t and torespectively. As shown herein, the top surface of the plate between saidshoulders is slightly inclined and the bottom surface thereof issubstantially flat. If desired, said top surface may be flat andparallel with the bottom surface which may have tie entering portionsthereon, without departing from the spirit of the invention. The topsurface of the end portions. of the plate, beyond said shoulders, areinclined in opposite directions so that said end portions taper inthickness outwardly. In the inner faces of each shoulder 9 and ill, oneadjacent each side of the tie plate is a recess ii, the purpose of whichwill soon appear. On the outer end of the tie plate, in line with theassociated shoulder recess ii, is a raised ledge Ma.

In said tie plates are openings l2l2 and l3--l3 respectively, the formerbeing arranged in the plane of each shoulder illl so as to cut throughthe same and the latter being formed more closely to the inner and outerends of the tie plate. It is pointed out at this time, that openings l2and i3 are disposed in different planes transversely and longitudinallyof the tie plate. This offsets the spikes with respect to each other, sothat the tendency to split the tie,

when the spikes are applied, is eliminated.

, Preferably on the top surface of the tie plate, along each endthereof, is a raised rib or shoulder Ml, which is of a lengthapproximating that of the recesses l l., Such a tie plate, readily lendsitself to manufacture by rolling or otherwise and is, therefore,practical.

Associated with each opening M is a retaining member of peculiarconstruction, in that one end is adapted to provide a heavy laterallyinward pressure on the rail base and the other end is adapted to imposea downward pressure to hold the tie plate and tie in a firm continuousengagement. This retaining member which is best shown in Fig. 4, is madeof a suitable length of spring stock of the desired width, bent to forman inner end, inverted U shape loop portion 65 and an upwardly archedouter end portion it, the said end portions being connected by areversely curved, intermediate portion ll. The free marginal partlB ofthe inverted U shaped loop portion is substantially straight to a heightsomewhat greater than that of edges of the base flange. Parts of saidportions, near each side i3 and shoulder thereof are punched outwardlyto form shoulders end of each retaining member is a slightly elongatedopening ZI]. This opening is preferably formed by punching.

In connection with each retaining member, I employ a screw spike 2|, theshank of which extends through the opening 20 in the retaining memberand through the hole I3 in the tie plate to be threaded into the tie.This spike has a head flange 22 at the top end, the under surface 23 ofwhich is flat and disposed in a plane at a right angle to the axis ofthe spike. This flat underside of the head flange operatively engagesthe top surface of the bowed outer end part of the retaining member.plate shoulders receives a spike 24. As shown in the drawing, thesespikes are of the cut type adapted to be driven into the tie butordinary screw spikes may be employed if so desired, in which case theholes would be circular.

With the tie plate properly positioned on the tie and with the rail baseengaged in its seat on the tie plate, between the shoulders thereon, the

spikes 24 may be entered into the tie. Assume that holes have beendrilled in the tie in line with the other tie plate holes I 3. Aretaining member is then positioned in place with its opening 20 alignedwith an associated tie plate hole l3 and with the bottom edge of theinner end of the retainer engaging on the top surface of the base.flange as best shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1. The retainingmember for the outer end of the tie plate is disposed upon the raisedledge Ila. The outer end of said retaining member then engages againstthe associated shoulder M at the end ,of the tie plate. The screw spikes2! are then inserted and initially tightened. This distorts the bowedend of the retaining member downwardly to impose a downward pressurethereon which acts to tension the entire retaining member. With a trackbar fulcrumed against the side of the ball of the rail and with thebottom end of said bar engaged against the inner end of the inverted Ushaped portion of the retainer, the top end of said bar is swungoutwardly. The bottom end of said bar then forces the said inner end 18of said retainer portion I 5, outwardly beyond the edge of the railbase, whereupon said end snaps into the recess H in the shoulder andinto place against the adjacent edge of the rail base. The parts are soproportioned that at this time the shoulders 19 engage the top surfaceof the rail base flange and the bottom edge of said inner end of theretaining member substantially touches the top surface of the tie plate.

With the parts in this position, the inner end of the inverted U shapedportion of the retaining member imposes a considerable inward pressureor thrust against the edge of the rail base flange. The screw spike isthen tightened. This tends to press down or flatten the bowed outer endportion of the retaining member placing it under a tension which bringsthe reversely curved intermediate portion I! of the retaining memberinto substantial engagement with the tie plate. This through saidintermediate portion, further tensions the inverted U shaped end tocause it to exert a further inward pressure on the base flange edge tocause it to tighten up its frictional grip on the edge. Due to thedifference of the characters of the metal of the rail base flange memberand the retaining member, this frictional grip is indeed considerableand sufficient to hold the rail against longitudinal movement. Thisgrip, of course, could be increased by roughening as by knurling orotherwise, that surface area of said Each opening l2 in the tieretainingmember engaged with the edge of the rail base.

It is pointed out that through the peculiar arrangement and shape of theparts of the retaining member, a downward pressure on the bowed partthereof is translated into a greater lateral pressure on the said innerend of said inverted U shaped portion. It is preferable that two of suchretaining members be employed with each plate, with one retaining memberon each side of the rail and at opposite sides of the tie plate. Whenonly one retaining member is employed, with each tie plate, said membersare arranged in staggered position, that is, the retaining memhere onalternateties are positioned on one side initial loss of free height towhich all springs are subjected as well as to the slight natural fatiguewhich is inherent in them. These losses, however, are compensated forand the pressures are increased laterally against and downward upon therail base as the screw spike is tightened thereby depressing the outerend and. reverse curve portion downwardly and inwardly, thus augmentingthe compression.

It is, of course, not desired that an over pressure ,be applied on theretaining member but only enough to hold the tie and tie plate incontinuous contact or engagement, otherwise this overpressure might actreversely with a tendency to lift or pull the screw spikes.

It is apparent that with the pressure grip of the inner end of theinverted U shape portion against the rail base edge, the rail is heldagainst longitudinal shifting or movement. With the shoulders l9engaging the top margins of the base flange as mentioned, only a minimumof wave motion is possible in the rail.

Thus the construction described holds the rail against creepage andlongitudinal expansion and contraction movement due to temperaturechanges and confines wave movement to a minimum. As the tie plate andtie are held securely together there can be no relative movement tocause mechanical abrasion between them.

The construction described is practical, is inexpensive to make andinstall and operates efficiently for its intended purpose.

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to theform, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, thesame is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do notwish to be limited thereto except as may be particularly set forth inthe appended claims.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination with a tie and a rail, a railretaining member having an inverted loop portion at one end engaging theedge of the base of the rail and an upwardly bowed portion spaced.

said downward pressure through said intermediate portion beingtranslated into a laterally inward pressureto cause said loop portion toexert a force to firmly frictionally grip against said edge of the raidbase.

2. In combination with a tie, a tie plate and a rail, a rail retainingmember having an inverted loop portion at one end engaging the edge ofthe base of the rail and an upwardly bowed portion spaced laterally fromsaid base and connected to the loop portion by an intermediate portion,and means passing through said upwardly bowed portion and tie plate andinto the tie and operable to impose a downward pressure on said upwardlybowed portion, said downward pressure through said intermediate portionbeing translated into a laterally inward pressure to cause said loopportion to exert a force to firmly frictionally grip against said edgeof the rail base.

3. In combination with a tie, tie plate and a rail, means on said tieplate providing an abutment for one edge of the base of the rail, a railretaining member having an inverted loop portion at one end engaging theother edge of the base of the rail and an upwardly bowed portion spacedlaterally from said last mentioned edge of the rail and connected tosaid loop portion by an intermediate portion, and means passing throughsaid upwardly bowed portion and tie plate and extending into the tie andoperable to impose a downward pressure on said upwardly bowed portion,said downward pressure through said intermediate portion beingtranslated into a laterally inward pressure to cause said loop portionto force the first mentioned edge of the rail base against saidabutmentand to firmly frictionally grip against the second mentioned edge ofsaid base portion.

4. In combination with a tie and a rail, a rail retaining member havingan inverted loop portion at one end engaging the edge of the base of therail and an upwardly bowed portion spaced laterally from said base andconnected to the first mentioned portion by an intermediate portion,means on said loop portion providing a shoulder overhanging and engagingwith a margin of the rail base associated with said edge, and meanspassing through said upwardly bowed portion and extending into the tieand operable to impose a downward pressure on said upwardly bowedportion, said downward pressure through said intermediate portion beingtranslated into a downward and inward pressure of the inverted loopportion to cause it to firmly grip against said edge of the rail baseand to cause the shoulder thereon to firmly clamp down upon theassociated margin of the rail base.

5. In combination with a tie, a tie plate and a rail, a rail retainingmember having an inverted loop portion at one end engaging the edge ofthe base of the rail, an upwardly bowed portion spaced laterally fromthe base of the rail and overhanging a part of the tie plate, and anintermediate portion connecting said loop and said bowed portion, ashoulder on the tie plate for engagement by the end of said upwardlybowed portion and means passing through said upwardly bowed portion andtie plate and extending into the tie and operable to impose a downwardpressure on said upwardly bowed portion, said intermediate portionoperating to translate said downward pressure into a laterally inwardpressure of the loop portion to cause the same to exert a force tofirmly frictionally grip against said edge of the rail base.

6. In combination with a tie, a tie plate and a rail, means on said tieplate providing a shoulder for engagement by one edge of the base of therail, a rail retaining member for the other side of the rail comprisingan inverted loop portion at one end for engaging the other edge of therail and an upwardly bowed portion spaced laterally from said other edgeof the rail and connected to the loop portion by an intermediateportion, a

second shoulder on the tie plate for engagement by the end of saidupwardly bowed portion, and

means passing through said bowed portion and tie plate and extendinginto the tie and operable to impose a downward pressure on said bowedportion, said downward pressure through said intermediate portion beingtranslated into a laterally inward pressure to force the first mentionededge of the rail base against its shoulder and to firmly frictionallygrip against the second mentioned edge of the rail base.

7. In combination with a tie, tie plate and a rail, a pair oflongitudinally spaced, intermediate shoulders extending transversely ofthe tie plate and each having a recess therein near opposite sides ofthe plate and which shoulders receive the base of the rail between them,other shoulders located one at each end of the tie plate, a railretaining member for each side of the rail base and positioned in theplane of said recesses, each retaining member including an inverted loopportion, a part of which is disposed in an associated recess and inengagement with an associated edge of the rail base, said retainingmembers each also including an upwardly bowed portion connected to theloop portion by an intermediate portion, the ends of said bowed portionof said retaining members being engaged with said other shouldersrespectively, a screw spike passing through the upwardly bowed portionof each retaining member and through the tie plate and into the tieandbeing operableto impose a downward pressure on said upwardly bowedportion, which through said intermediate portion is translated into alaterally inward pressure to cause the inverted loop portion of eachretaining member to firmly frictionally grip against the associatededges of the rail base.

8. In a construction of the kind described, a rail retaining member offlat spring metal and having an inverted U shaped loop portion at oneend, an upwardly bowed, apertured portion at the other end and connectedto the loop portion by 9. In a construction of the kind described, a tieplate having a pair of transversely extending intermediate shoulders,each with a recess therein, arranged near opposite sides of the tieplate, the end portions of the tie plate, outwardly from eachintermediate shoulder tapering in thickness toward the associated end ofthe tie plate, a shoulder on each end of the tie plate in line with therecesses, there being spike openings in said tie plate, one in each endportion thereof in line with an assbciated recess and there being otherspike openings, opening through each of said intermediate shoulders, thespike holes being offset into different planes, transversely of the tieplate.

ROBERT L. CAIRNCRQSS.

